Chapter 5: The Kidnapper

Gu Limp, forty years old, was a kidnapper by profession.

“Gu Limp” was evidently a nickname.

In his youth, he was caught abducting a young girl and was severely beaten, resulting in a permanent limp in one leg.

Yet his vicious nature remained unchanged, and he continued his vile trade.

His proudest achievement was seven years ago, during the Lantern Festival, when he abducted a girl from the esteemed local official Zhen family in Suzhou. After seven years of careful nurturing, the girl blossomed into an exceptionally beautiful and well-mannered young lady. Even at a price of eight hundred taels of silver, there was no shortage of buyers.

However, Gu Limp was unwilling to settle for merely eight hundred taels for this girl.

He had devised a scheme: to first sell her to one family, find an excuse to collect the payment without handing her over, then secretly sell her to another family. This way, he could pocket the payment from both and flee to another province, doubling his earnings to sixteen hundred taels.

What vexed Gu Limp was that today, Wang Mao’an of the Wang family trading in human teeth suddenly appeared at his door. Wang examined the Suzhou girl carefully and asked several questions, hinting that he might want to buy her.

Gu Limp dared not play tricks on the Wang family, knowing well that the Wang clan, though dealing in human teeth, valued rules and would not forcibly seize the girl.

But if the Wang family truly intended to buy her, wouldn’t his scheme be ruined? Would he be forced to accept only eight hundred taels?

After much thought, Gu Limp decided to flee to Yangzhou with the girl. The trade in girls was even more prosperous there than in Jiangning, and he could still make sixteen hundred taels.

He hired a mule cart and was moving his belongings to a newly rented house when Wang Mao’an’s cold voice came from outside: “Gu Limp, what’s the rush? Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Gu Limp looked up and saw Wang Mao’an flanked by two strong attendants.

A chill ran down his spine. Wang had come to inspect the girl only half an hour ago, and now he was back so soon.

This was bad—escape was impossible!

Forcing a smile, Gu Limp respectfully replied, “Master Wang, I recently rented a new place inside Qilin Gate and am just moving there. May I ask what business you have with me again?”

“Oh, really?” Wang Mao’an smiled faintly, a smile hiding a dagger. “I thought you were running off with the girl, seeing that my Wang family wanted to buy her but you resisted selling to us.”

Fear gnawed at Gu Limp’s heart, but he kept up the pretense: “How could that be? If Master Wang wishes to buy the girl, I consider myself fortunate. Everyone knows that Lord Wang and Master Wang are noble and uphold the rules. Eight hundred taels is but a trifle to your family.”

Since escape was impossible, Gu Limp hoped the Wang family would pay the full price without bargaining or coercion.

Wang Mao’an, uninterested in wasting words, smiled again and said, “My lord wishes to see you. Come along with the girlI'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.